ProHeat Question

[JackConrad]

     I finished the installation of our ProHeat and fired it up. It Works!! EXCEPT after running for a while, I get a coolant flow diagnostic LED. Checking the troubleshooting manual it seems my system does not contain enough fluid, I have about 2 gallons in our system. Per Proheat manual, a minimum of 3 gallons of fluid is necessary to prevent fluid from heating to 185 degrees in less than 1 minute (causing 'Coolant Flow" fault).  Looks like I need to add a tank. Any suggestions on where in the system to install the tank and should it be a flow through design?  Thanks in advance, Jack

[captain ron]

Buy an air tank at lowes and drill and weld in a bung for filling, then one on the bottom for supply and one on top for return. Then mount it higher than your PH and it will gravity feed. There is a picture of mine in another thread about Proheats

[gr8njt]

FWIW, I have my "coolant storage tank" located between the Proheat and the "radiant-heat distribution-manifold".

The coolant storage tank I am using is a 5 gallon Force-10 Marine HWH. Paid $200 from eBay.
The Force10 is factory wired for 110V shore/campground AC power and engine coolant heating.
I can maintain some heat in this storage tank with the free 110VAC while at a campground.
I have my system set-up so that a "free wheeling" auxillary 12vdc pump (Zeke's) can provide heating without running the Proheat when at hooked-up at campgrounds.

The Force-10's "coolant heating coil", it can be independently connected to the Bus coolant system (next phase of project) for harnessing the heat while OTR or vice-versa (heating the bus engine from the Force-10 tank). All that is needed is a second auxillary pump like Zeke's ( www.zekesengineering.com ) that can run the coolant to the engine but will "free wheel" when the bus engine water pump is running.

Attached are some photos of my "Proheat System":
1. Force-10 Marine 5 gallon HWH used as a Proheat coolant reservoir below the potable water manifold
2. Plate exchanger from the "Proheat" for potable/shower hot water
3. Distribution/return manifold for house radiant-heating with the "Proheat" system
4. ProHeat installed in the water/tank bay.

[Jerry Liebler]

Jack,
    I have one that came with my Webasto kit.  It's surplus, 2 or 3 gallons.  I've sent you a PM about it.  It would need to be high in the system and could also serve as a fill point.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120

[rcbishop]

Jack...be sure you have bled, bled, bled the system.    Our Webasto did basically what you referred to until I did what I am espousing.  And, we have a radiant floor heating system in our home and it was exactly the same way,,,even with an expansion tank installed. When all the air is out of the system...no sign of bubbles and a free flow of coolant ( or whatever) as at your water faucet, my guess is that you will have no more problems.

I spent hours...no days... working thru the same thing and it all boiled down to what I have just stated.  Vehicle Systems, Sure Marine, and Ron the Bus Nut all participated in the experience.  I am not claiming to know all there is to know, but......I know whereof I speak.   

FWIW

RCB
'64 Crown Supercoach (HWC)

[gr8njt]

Pic of Zeke's auxillary pump installed in line with the Proheat coolant return pipe. As per manufactures recommendation, it is at the lowest posible location in the system.

And as RCB mentioned, bleeding the system free of air is a must.
My Proheat cannot pump the coolant if there is air in the system and end up overheating the stagnant coolant in the heating chamber thus causing "coolant flow" or "coolant temp" error.
I therefore used an automotive coolant reservoir tank (mounted at the highest posible location in relation to the Proheat system) to serve as 1.expansion tank, 2.fill up access  and 3.continuous air discharge point.

[JackConrad]

    I installed a flow indicator in the line near the ProHeat pump. After installing, I noticed this flow indicator is for 5-30 GPM. Proheat specs say max of 8 GPM.  Rotor does not turn during ProHeat operation (not sure if there is enough flow for that flowmeter).   No air bubbles present and system was filled using an external pump with return in the bucket of fluid until on bubbles present.

Charley Davidson:
     How did you dertermine your OEM ProHeat pump was bad?   Jack

[JohnEd]

GR8,

You da man!  That is one hel* of a good looking install.  I hope I get the chance to stare at it for a couple of hours with a blank look on my face one of these days.

John

[captain ron]

Jack, If your flow indicator is set off it's probably your pump. Pull your pump and try it with the proper voltage. The pump is a magnetic drive set up and may have failed on you. you can replace it with a 110 volt pump (does not free wheel) or try the one gr8njt used. If you use the one I did you need to use a led marker light to trick your computer. Mine is working fine I love it and we have snow and cooooold

[Dreamscape]

Jack and others,

This topic, Proheat Installation should be put into print and located in the Bus Conversion magazine. I have learned a great deal from reading all of the posts the you guys have put out. I'm still collecting all of the necessary components to add to mine when I install it in the spring.

It would be a great article for all of us and newbies who are undertaking such a project.

Charlie, glad to hear yours is working for you.

GR8, nice clean installation. A model for others.

Good Luck to All,

Paul

[tomhamrick]

Jack, I bought a 12 gallon Lowes home water heater and use it as my storage for the Webasto. The water heater has two inlets and two outlets so my design uses two independent loops for the system. The Webasto just has the tank in it's loop and keeps the water at 180 degrees. The second loop out of the tank with it's own pump is what feeds my radiators in the bus. Without the storage tank, my water was cycling through too fast and never got hot enough.
Tom Hamrick
1984 Eagle 10S

[makemineatwostroke]

Jack, you could also check the Hurricane heating site for answers being that it is the same unit just ProHeats equal to the AquaHots system.I have the Hurricane (proheat) 50000 BTU unit in my bus and love it

[JackConrad]

Jack, I bought a 12 gallon Lowe's home water heater and use it as my storage for the Webasto. The water heater has two inlets and two outlets so my design uses two independent loops for the system. The Webasto just has the tank in it's loop and keeps the water at 180 degrees. The second loop out of the tank with it's own pump is what feeds my radiators in the bus. Without the storage tank, my water was cycling through too fast and never got hot enough.
Tom Hamrick
1984 Eagle 10S

Hmmm, this sounds interesting. I'll have to think about this.  I did some more testing this AM and found that with an additional gallon of fluid in a bucket and an additional pump in the circuit, everything works as it should. When I turn off the auxiliary pump (this is a flow through centrifugal pump), The flow indicator stops turning. Looks like I need a replacement pump and a little more volume.
   Well, we are getting ready to go to a Bluegrass Festival, so this will wait until we return on Sunday.  I will post updates as they occur.  Thanks for all the help.  Jack

[Songman]

Jack, you could also check the Hurricane heating site for answers being that it is the same unit just ProHeats equal to the AquaHots system.I have the Hurricane (proheat) 50000 BTU unit in my bus and love it

Yeah!! Finally someone besides me with a Hurricane! I have the 61k BTU 45XL but I am a long way from installing it. I hope I can partake of your experience when the time comes. I was just asking the other day if my 45XL was the same as the ProHeat X45.

[makemineatwostroke]

Songman i don't know if i can help or not as mine was installed by the converter but i can take pictures for you when ready